Vise type electrical connector



June 18, 1940. M, L 2,204,899

VISE TYPE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR filed June 17. 1939 Parameciu 1a, 1940 Marvin in, Rye, N. Y., assignor to Burndy' Engineering Co. Inc., a corporation 0! New York Application June 17, 1939, Serial No. 279,592

This invention relates to vise type electrical connectors which are often used for clamping wires or cables and are especially useful for making connections between overhead distribution conductors and service wires. Ordinarily, such' connectors consist of two clamping jaws as-' sembled in the general form of a vise and drawn together .by-means 01' a screw. This invention,

is an improvement on previous forms of this device.

It is very desirable in an electrical connector to have the wires which it clamps completely enclosed therein. To accomplish this in visetype connectors of the character herein disclosed. the generally used expedient is to have one clamping jaw overlap the other. In order to open this overlap for insertion of the wires intothe connector means turning the screw several times to loosen it, and aisoseveral times in the opposite direction to tighten it. This procedure is inconvenient, especially where it occurs on top of a pole or in a similar awkward location. To avoid this unnecessary loosening and tighteningof the screw is the principal object oi this invention;

This object is obtained by having one of the jaws swing back or rotate in such a manner as to permit insertion of the wires into the other jaw.

, Such rotation or swinging is done with the screw as the hinge pin, thus eliminating the necessity of disengaging either jaw from the screw. -The moving jaw should be prevented from swinging forward too far or, alternatively, rotating in the wrong direction. This is an additional object of my invention.

I accomplish this object by the use oi! stops. Thus, jamming. of the connector, while installing is eliminated.

when the screw is tightened there is a tendency for the jaws to bend open because of the cantilever forces exerted on them. This in turn, tends to bend the screw. A further object, thereiore, is to provide means whereby this tendency to bend the screw will be eliminated. This object is attained by interlocking the laws in such a,

fashion as to absorb the cantilever The bearing points 01' the jaws on each other are located at the top and bottom of each jaw respectively. points keeps the jaws bending of the screw.

.I accomplish these and other objects and obtain my new results as will be apparent from the device described in the following specification, particularly pointed out in the attached claims in alignment and prevents 6 Claims.- (01. -24-263) This wide separation of the bearing,

and illustrated which: I

Fig. 1 shows a side view of one form device. I

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same connector. Fig. 3 is a top view. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view. Fig. 5 is a side view of another form of the connector showing the clamping jaw in closed position.

in the accompanying drawing, in

of the n Fig. 6 is a rear view of the same connector with a partial section to show the internal construction..

Fig. '7 is a side view, in open position.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the connector taken along line 8-8 in Fig, 5.

In the drawing, Figs. 1 to 4, an embodiment oi. my invention is shown consisting of a stationary jaw-member ill, a movable jaw-member 20, both positioned about and compressing conductor 30, by'means of bolt 40.

The stationary jaw-member comprises a-top section Ii, two side sections 12, a short reinforcing back section l3, and a hook-shaped jaw ll, extending from the front and top section II.

The back section I! is cut out as at IE, to permit the movable member to rotate therethrough. about the bolt 40 as a hinge, as will be hereinafter explained. Aperture It in the top side permits the bolt to slide i'reely therein, the head ti reacting against the top section II.

(the bolt ll.

On the lower end of the front side 24 of movable member 8!, a V shaped jaw 25 protrudes a distance apmximately equal to the greatest diameter of conductor which can be accommodated in law M of the stationary member I0. The jaw 25 can be longitudinally moved within jaw ii to compress the conductors securely, as shown in Fig. 1; jaw it having approximately the same length as member it.

The jaw 25 is wider than any part 01' memher 2| having the samewidth as the stationary member it (see Fig. '2), which increased width acts as a Wide over cut-out i9 01' member [0 and insures that the two jaws will be in operative relationship to each other.

When jaw 25 is propelled past the stationary member III by the rotation of bolt 40, the openingl5 in back wall H of the stationary member enables the entire movable member to be rotated backwards about the head ll of the bolt 40, as shown in Fig. 4. Thus, the jaw 25 need not be propelled longitudinally until it provides a space suflicient to allow a conductor to enter, but may be rotated in a transverse direction to expose the mouth of jaw H, permitting the conductor to be inserted.

The saving in bolt rotation is approximately that of the conductor diameter.

When the conductors are inserted into the mouth of jaw member H, the movable member 20 is restored to .its operative position and the bolt tightened. The extending sides of jaw 25 ride on the front edges of side walls i2, and rails 2| engage grooves l8. Thus the stresses occasioned by tightening the jaws about the conductors, and causing a bending moment are absorbed by the sliding surfaces of the members, and not by the bolt.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 to 8, the movable jaw member 200, is rotatably mounted on stationary jaw member Illa by means of bolt 4011.

When the bolt propels jaw member 20a to the point where jaw 25a passes jaw Ma and the mouth of the jaw is opened, the top edge 28!: of movable member 200, is propelled past guide [5a.

The stationary member is provided with semi cylindrical walls I20. forming channels Ilia, and the movable member with semi-cylindrical walls 22a forming rails 2la.

Whem the guide We is passed, the movable member may be rotated about the bolt 600 as an axis. At the lower front end of one of the side walls, iZa, a stop ita is formed which permits the movable member 20a to rotate in one direction only. Thus when it is desired to open the mouth of jaw i ia for entrance of conductors 30a. the jaw 25a is propelled by the bolt until the jaws just pass one another whereupon jaw 250 may be rotated backwards as shown in Fig. '7.

The remaining reference numerals indicate parts corresponding to those described in the previous modification.

From the foregoing it is apparent that my modifications are simpler and quicker to install than previous types.

Furthermore, I am able to obtain a quick installation of the conductors without placing a bending movement on the bolt, an extremely important element of my design and an important object of my invention.

In addition, I provide a connector which is a unitary assembly and can be installed on cables or wires without removing any of the constituent parts from the unitary assembly. The parts themselves require a minimum of machining and are inexpensive to manufacture.

By my definition, the movable jaw member is that member that moves with respect to the head of the bolt.

I have thus described my invention, but I desire it understood that it is not confined to the particular forms or uses shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention. and, therefore, I claim broadly the right to em ploy all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by means of which, objects of my invention are attained and new results accomplished, as it is obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only some of the many that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A clamping device comprising a stationary member having a jaw; a movable member having a jaw; a bolt in threaded relationship with respect to the movable member for drawing the two jaws together about the object to be clamped by rotating said bolt; means for keeping the movable member in sliding engagement with the stationary member; and means for permitting one jaw to be moved with respect to the other, independently of the threaded rotation of the bolt.

2. A clamping device comprising a stationary member having a jaw; a movable member having a jaw; a bolt in threaded relationship with respect to the movable member for drawing the two jaws together about the object to be clamped by rotating said bolt; rrieans for keeping the movable member in sliding engagement with the stationary member; and means for permitting one jaw to be rotated with respect to the other about the bolt as an axis.

3. A clamping device comprising a stationary member having a jaw; a movable member having a jaw; a bolt in threaded relationship with respect to the movable member for drawing the two jaws together about the object to be clamped by rotating said bolt; means for keeping the movable member in sliding engagement with the stationary member; and means for permitting the movable member and the bolt to be rotated in a unitary assembly with respect to the stationary member.

4. A clamping device comprising a stationary member having a jaw; a movable member having a jaw; a bolt in threaded relationship with respect to the movable member for drawing the two jaws together about the object to be clamped by rotating said bolt; means for keeping the movable member in sliding engagement with the stationary member; means for disengaging *hetwo members: and means for permitting one jaw to be rotated with respect to the other about the bolt as an axis.

5. A clamping device comprising a stationary member having a jaw; a movable member having a jaw; a bolt in threaded relationship with respect to the movable member for drawing the two jaws together about the object to be clamped by rotating said bolt; means for keeping the movable member in sliding engagement with the stationary member; means for disengaging the two members; and means for permitting the movable member and the bolt to be rotated in a unitary assembly with respect to the stationary member.

6. An electrical connector comprising a stationary member having a jaw; a movable member having a jaw; a bolt in threaded relationship with respect to the movable member; for drawing the two jaws about an electrical conductor, by rotating said bolt; means for permitting one jaw to be moved with respect to the other, independent of the threaded rotation of the bolt, and stop means for enabling said law to be so moved in one direction only.

MARVIN LEE. 

